Turtles

Turtles are reptiles with hard, bony shells and have been around a really long time. With a history that dates back 215 million years, they are older than both lizards and snakes. Whether your interest lies in wild endangered sea turtles, or a mud turtle to keep in your backyard, these sites will certainly serve up what you’re looking for.

The best reason to visit the California Turtle and Tortoise Club site is this gallery of annotated turtle photos, alphabetized by either scientific or common name. From the African Spurred Tortoise to the Western Pond Turtle, most of the thirty-two species have multiple photos showing the differences between the male and female turtles. Before clicking away to visit another site, look for the audio gallery of courting male tortoise vocalizations. Who knew?

All About Turtles has a fun, playful attitude that shines through in all its features. The Tale of Two Turtles, is a "first-person" narrative told by both a snapping turtle and a loggerhead turtle. Other great sections include a guide to turtle parts (Carapace - top shell, an outgrowth of bone), turtle crafts (Turtle Eggs uses walnuts shells as newly hatched turtles), a guide to the turtle species of Maine, and an article about what you can do to help turtle conservation. "1. Keep wild turtles in the wild. Don't collect pond turtles for pets. Observe and enjoy them in their natural habitat."

"With so many different types of turtle, there is no average size. The largest sea turtle species is the leatherback turtle. It weighs 600 to 1,500 lbs. (272 to 680 kilograms) and is about 4.5 to 5.25 feet (139 to 160 centimeters) long, according to the World Wildlife Federation (WWF)." This Live Science introduction to turtles includes details about their habitats, taxonomy, diet, offspring and other interesting facts.

Especially written for kids, this National Geographic listicle has photos and definitions for many of the science words used. "7. Some turtles are carnivores (meat eaters), others are herbivores (plant eaters) and some are omnivores (a mixture of the two!). Many baby turtles start life as carnivores but grow to eat more plants as they mature."

"Q. How many kinds of turtles are there? A. About 270 (and still counting.)" The folks at Turtle Puddle have created a Q and A page just for kids that includes links to external turtle sites. A few of those links are broken (sigh!) but I liked the concept enough to include them here anyway. The rest of site is also kid-friendly, and includes lots of information about turtle carapaces (upper shells), turtle anatomy, and turtle health issues. "Q. Can turtles hear? Do they have ears? A. Yes, and yes."